Three Birkirkara men on bail for ambushing man

Three young men from Birkirkara have been released on bail after they were presented before a court this morning, charged with attacking and injuring another man.

Before Magistrate Claire Louise Stafrace Zammit, Inspector Luke Bonello charged Michael Pace, Daniel Pace and Adrian Tonna, aged 31, 23 and 23, respectively, with attacking and causing slight injuries to the victim, Lineker David Micallef, who is also from Birkirkara and currently on bail for another offence.

The court was told how the man had been attacked at around 11:30pm last Tuesday.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia, representing the accused, told the court that the men had been waiting for police outside the victim’s house after they had reported being threatened by the victim, who is currently on bail pending separate proceedings.

Quoting Michael Pace’s statement, the lawyers said the victim had threatened to shoot Pace, who had fathered a child with the victim’s sister, a week before and after seeing him in public, they had reported him to the police as this was a breach of the victim’s bail conditions.

They had waited outside Micallef's house to make sure that the police responded to their report, but after an hour and fifteen minutes of waiting, the victim arrived in his car and was attacked. The police had not arrived by that time, Debono explained to the court.

 All three pleaded not guilty and were granted bail against a personal guarantee of €10,000 each.

The prosecution did not insist on a curfew, but stressed that they are not to go to the band clubs. The court also imposed a 12-month protection order in favour of the victim.